Improvement in fire-escapes



J. a. KU'RTZ & T. J. KISTER.

Fire-Escape.

Patented June 4,1878

N-PETERS, PNOTO-UYHOGRAFNEH, WASHINGTONv D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

I JOHN G. KURTZ AND THOMAS J. KISTER, OF MILTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN Fl RE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,583, dated June 4,1878; application filed November 17, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN G. KURTZ and THOMAS J. KISTER, of Milton, inthe county of Northumberland, and in the State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of thisspecification.

The nature of our invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a fire-escape attached permanently to a building and folding close tothe same; and also in combining with such fire-escape an alarm, all ashereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art.

to which our invention appertains to make and use the same, we will nowproceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to theannexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a building,showing one of our fire-escapes in position for use and another foldedup against the building. Fig. 2 is a side view of the fire-escape inposition for use. Fig. 3 is a detailed View of the alarm which we preferto use. Fig. 4 shows a modification of our invention.

A represents the front of a building to which our fire-escapes areattached.

Each fire-escape is constructed in the following manner: B is a flatiron bar of any suitable dimensions, perforated at such intervals aswill be most iconvenient for rungs, hereinafter described, to passthrough and form a ladder. O 0 represent the rungs, which are preferablymade of round wrought-iron bars, bent in the center in such a manner asto form, as it were, an eye at a, which lies in the perforation in thecenter bar B. The arms of each rung O are spread apart at any desiredangle, and their extreme ends form eyes b b, which are attached tostaples or eyebolts d d, driven in or otherwise permanently fastened tothe building. The ends of the rung 0 need not necessarily be bent toform regular eyes, but only so that they may be connected to the staplesd in such a manner that they cannot become accidentally detached.

At the uppeflend of the central bar B a pin,

0, is passed through the same, and extending on both sides thereof asuitable distance. A heavy wrought-iron rod, D, is bent over the centralbar B, passing under the pin e on each side of said bar. This rod D isfastened to the wall by strong staples driven into it, into which theends of the rod pass. This forms the top support of the ladder. Theladder can start from the ground if no impediment exists, such asawnings, cornices over the first story, 850. In this case the ladderwill need no support but the solid ground. If the ladder, however,should start from the second story, the lower rung (marked 0) is madeextra thick, and is so attached that when the ladder is thrown out foruse it will rest upon the cornice E of the first story, and by thatmeans form the lower support.

Ordinarily the rungs O are connected to th building close to thewindow-frames, so that the ladder can be folded between them close upagainst the wall; but where impediments, such as window-cornices, &c.,would be in the way, we intend to use additional bars B, similar to thecenter bar B, instead of the staples. Such extra bars are then placed ona level with the elevated brick-work, and fastened by strong staples mto the wall, the ends of the rungs passing through them.

When not in use, the ladder, in either case, folds against the wall,and, when wanted, a simple pull forward will throw it into its properposition for use.

In connection with this ladder we propose to use an alarm, F, which willbe sounded automatically by the pulling out of the ladder, so that ifanybody should attempt to use the ladder for the purpose of entering thebuilding the alarm will be given. For such alarm we prefer to use theconstruction shown in Fig. 3, which consists of a cup, G, open at thebottom, and containing a valve, h. On thls valve are placed a number ofballs, 6, and the valve connected with the top rod D in such a mannerthat, by turning down this rod by the throwing out of the ladder, thevalve will be turned to allow one or more of the balls 5 to drop downand out of the cup G and strike a gong, I, underneath, the balls beingcaught by a basket, J, surrounding sald gong.

It will be noticed that the ladder is double;

and a person descending can pass through from one side to the other, asthe exigencies of the case may require.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A V-shaped metallic ladder attached to a building between the windowsand forming a double ladder, said ladder consisting of the pivoted rungsC C, perforated bar B, and 1 staples d or their equivalents, allconstructed substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of a metallic ladder attached to a building, andcapable of being folded flat against and opened from the same,

of October, 187 7.

JOHN G. KURTZ. THOS. J. KISTER. Witnesses:

JOHN S. EVANS, HAMMOND CADWALLAR.

